Thesis Fall 2012 Proposal (10/15/12)

SOFIA FALCON thesis fall 2012 proposal presentation / 10 . 15 . 2012

, E M

I N I S M I S

N O T A

D I R T Y W O R D

PROBLEM feminism is stigmatized as an identity and a movement. women and men sympathetic to the plight of women do not feel comfortable aligning themselves with the movement because of: 1 the negative connotations of feminism which are and have been historically perpetuated by the patriarchal culture, power structures, and the media

2 alienation born out of:

a the perception that a great deal of scholarly knowledge is required to belong to feminism B feeling excluded by belief systems of specific groups of feminists C the problematic history of a lack of inclusivity of non-white-middle-class women within the movement

WHY DOES IT MATTER? when even the people that support basic principles of feminism do not want to ally themselves with the movement, it is much easier for opposing forces to continue to oppress women. creating an affinity between women and men fighting for equality creates a stronger, more cohesive movement which increases the potential for the change on behalf of that movement. destigmatizing feminism by creating dialogue and educating people can lead to alteration of personal belief systems and interactions, which will allow for greater societal and political changes to take place on national and global levels.

means of solution whether violence or non-violence has more merit as means of changing society is an inconclusive debate. however, this project will be coming from a place of non-violence based most heavily in using education, along with dialogue, as the primary driver for change. the following methods will be used: 1 providing access to some important works that have come out of feminist theory. these will come from different time periods and points of view. then encouraging critical response to theories, thoughts, and proposals

2 direct personal conversation among people in order to both dispel stereotypes of feminism as well as establish conversation (and with that, disagreement) as a crucial and normal part of any social justice movement

initial mindmaps / 8.29.2012

key developments: • why is feminism a dirty word?

• stereotypes of feminism can be disproved by providing knowledge and personal perspectives • how can a stronger community be developed?

• why is the GOP obsessed with my uterus?

• slut-shaming, coming from culture of fear of female sexuality • need better education for young women and men • need to build a community to progress change • should men be included in this effort?

initial mindmaps / 9.3.2012

key developments: • hostility between women caused by lack of understanding of feminism • women's rights in today's politics: how far is it going to go?

• maybe this can be exaggerated to a dystopia • how to un-teach the messages and habits taught by culture

initial mindmaps / 9.3.2012

key developments: • people disconnect with feminism because of a lack of knowledge of the movement and theories • or only knowing few specific theories that they disagree with • need to present many varied points of view • form own opinion by critical analysis • discussion is crucial to harbouring understanding and community • there is no singular feminist theory nor should there be: it's cool to disagree!

SOLUTION ideas / concept one typographic solutions occupying three dimensional space are created as a public art piece or a model used in an educational/community setting. the typographic forms would include within them print ephemera that would serve to inform as well as encourage discussion within the environment and potentially screens that would display video footage to aid that process. there could be several different typographic representations of feminism based on both negative and positive perceptions of the word. the materials contained within/around the form would serve to cause the viewer to confront their preconceived notions and be open to creating conversation within the space as well as within their interpersonal relations.

SOLUTION ideas / concept one

above: basic sketches of letterforms and the way they could potentially include materials within them (not aesthetically indicative)

top: rough sketch of a version of the form bottom: potential swatches

SOLUTION ideas / concept two an interactive web piece that would focus on typographic treatments, video, and educational materials. it would have three major functionalities: 1 display videos of women and men who identify as feminists verbally discredit the feminist stereotype and express their vision of the movement 2 provide educational materials (essays, etc.) along with their summaries and context to allow for better understanding of feminist theory and history. this is paired with a platform for online discussion and potential for organization for offline discussion. the context encourages critical response and ability to realize that disagreement with other feminists does not negate the ability to identify as a feminist.

3 a call to action that, once the user has formed an intelligent opinion, connects her to potential ways to get involved in whatever cause she feels an allegiance to.

SOLUTION ideas / concept two

a typography based introduction page (sketches not aesthetically indicative)

left: a gallery of the video content made up of thumbnails and hover functions to reveal key quotes from video right: video display page would include related speakers, key quotes, and links to relevant materials (readings, etc.)

SOLUTION ideas / additional both concepts could incorporate a series of typography and photography based posters. concept one accounts for printed ephemera being contained within it, while concept two could have an extension in the form of a print campaign. with the latter, this series of posters could be used to promote the campaign as well as function on its own as a tool for engagement.